Other Sheep in INDIA 2010 |
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| On this page: HOW OTHER SHEEP CAME TO BE INVITED TO SOUTH INDIA: A Gay Indian Activist Invites Other Sheep to South India |
A Gay Indian Activist Invites
Other Sheep to South India
by Steve Parelli and Jose Ortiz
Written September 16-18, 2010. Bronx, NY
Other Sheep's first ever visit to India, August 3-18, 2010, is a
remarkable story of Face Book connections and on-the-ground
networking. The work that was accomplished in but two weeks
and two days is noteworthy.
The semester before our annual summer travels were to begin,
Steve, who was completing a Masters degree program and was
occupied with student teaching, had little time, after January,
to spend on developing summer plans for Other Sheep. Hopes
for visiting India in 2010 were laid aside.
A gay Indian activist raised Hindu, from the southwestern state
of Kerala, had been following Other Sheep's interests in Asia on
Facebook. Early on, he had recommended some contacts for
Other Sheep in Calcutta which, though pursued, did not
materialize. India did not appear to be in the picture for 2010.
However, at some point towards the end of the school
semester, our Indian contact wrote and asked where Other
Sheep stood with Calcutta. When we told him that nothing had
developed, he shot back inviting us to come to Trivandrum where
he would plan and sponsor a meeting for Other Sheep. He told
us further that he had contacts in Bangalore, a major city in
South India; that a progressive Christian college in Bangalore -
United Theological College - could prove a profitable contact for
Other Sheep; and that he would provide a couple more contacts
for us in cities north of Trivandrum.
With our Hong Kong and mainland China meetings already in
place, we added Bangalore to the flight itinerary and at last
purchased our airline tickets: New York City to Hong Kong to
Hainan, China to Bangalore, India to Beijing to New York City.
We would fly into Bangalore on August the 3rd, and fly out of
Bangalore on August the 19th.
While vacationing in Sanya, Hainan, China the week before our
arrival in Bangalore, we finalized our travel plans within India
and were put in touch by our Indian contact with a key contact
person in Bangalore - Shubba Chacko, a human rights activist and
a professed atheist. Shubba, in turn, immediately set up our
Bangalore housing and scheduled an appointment for the three of
us to meet on our first day in Bangalore.
Thanks to our initial Indian contact, and then Shubba, our
contact in Bangalore by way of our Indian contact, we were well
underway for Other Sheep to network in South India.
Both of these activists see religious opposition as an impediment
to the advancement of LGBT human rights; thus, their interest
in helping Other Sheep network.
Other Sheep to South India
by Steve Parelli and Jose Ortiz
Written September 16-18, 2010. Bronx, NY
Other Sheep's first ever visit to India, August 3-18, 2010, is a
remarkable story of Face Book connections and on-the-ground
networking. The work that was accomplished in but two weeks
and two days is noteworthy.
The semester before our annual summer travels were to begin,
Steve, who was completing a Masters degree program and was
occupied with student teaching, had little time, after January,
to spend on developing summer plans for Other Sheep. Hopes
for visiting India in 2010 were laid aside.
A gay Indian activist raised Hindu, from the southwestern state
of Kerala, had been following Other Sheep's interests in Asia on
Facebook. Early on, he had recommended some contacts for
Other Sheep in Calcutta which, though pursued, did not
materialize. India did not appear to be in the picture for 2010.
However, at some point towards the end of the school
semester, our Indian contact wrote and asked where Other
Sheep stood with Calcutta. When we told him that nothing had
developed, he shot back inviting us to come to Trivandrum where
he would plan and sponsor a meeting for Other Sheep. He told
us further that he had contacts in Bangalore, a major city in
South India; that a progressive Christian college in Bangalore -
United Theological College - could prove a profitable contact for
Other Sheep; and that he would provide a couple more contacts
for us in cities north of Trivandrum.
With our Hong Kong and mainland China meetings already in
place, we added Bangalore to the flight itinerary and at last
purchased our airline tickets: New York City to Hong Kong to
Hainan, China to Bangalore, India to Beijing to New York City.
We would fly into Bangalore on August the 3rd, and fly out of
Bangalore on August the 19th.
While vacationing in Sanya, Hainan, China the week before our
arrival in Bangalore, we finalized our travel plans within India
and were put in touch by our Indian contact with a key contact
person in Bangalore - Shubba Chacko, a human rights activist and
a professed atheist. Shubba, in turn, immediately set up our
Bangalore housing and scheduled an appointment for the three of
us to meet on our first day in Bangalore.
Thanks to our initial Indian contact, and then Shubba, our
contact in Bangalore by way of our Indian contact, we were well
underway for Other Sheep to network in South India.
Both of these activists see religious opposition as an impediment
to the advancement of LGBT human rights; thus, their interest
in helping Other Sheep network.
| A gay Indian activist invites Other Sheep to India |
| Construction on this web page completed on September 20, 2010 This web page was first published on September 16, 2010 Visits to this web page since September 16, 2010 Bronx, New York |
| With India in place, our summer itinerary is complete |
| Final plans made the week before arriving in Bangalore |
| Religious opposition - an impediment to the advancement of LGBT human rights |
While Steve was
busy in school, our
Indian gay activist
proposed and
planned for Other
Sheep's key contact
in Bangalore, and
our meeting with
activists in
Trivandrum.
Rev. Steve Parelli,
graduation day, MA in
Applied Linguistics, Queens
College, CUNY (City
University of New York),
May 2010.
graduation day, MA in
Applied Linguistics, Queens
College, CUNY (City
University of New York),
May 2010.
| Photo at right: Jose Ortiz listens intently, though a bit tired, as he and Steve meet with our Indian activist contact for the first time. Classic Avenue Hotel, Trivandrum, India. August 6, 2010. |
| Jose Ortiz |
Our first-time meeting with our Indian gay activist, Trivandrum, August 6, 2010 |
| Photo at right: Other Sheep is introduced to area activists. Steve presents his paper and story about the evangelical ex-gay movement. Trivandrum, India. August 7, 2010 |
Above Photo:
Jose Ortiz in the lobby of the
Sanya, China Howard Johnson
resort keeping current with
Other Sheep correspondence
in Asia while vacationing.
July 27, 2010
Sanya, Hainan, China
Jose Ortiz in the lobby of the
Sanya, China Howard Johnson
resort keeping current with
Other Sheep correspondence
in Asia while vacationing.
July 27, 2010
Sanya, Hainan, China
Photo at Left:
Shubba Chacko, Indian activist for
human rights and social justice, Other
Sheep's key contact person in
Bangalore.
Bangalore, India
August 3, 2010
Shubba Chacko, Indian activist for
human rights and social justice, Other
Sheep's key contact person in
Bangalore.
Bangalore, India
August 3, 2010
Above photo: Trivandrum airport,
August 6, 2010.
Photo at left: View from the air,
approaching landing, Trivandrum,
India, August 6, 2010.
August 6, 2010.
Photo at left: View from the air,
approaching landing, Trivandrum,
India, August 6, 2010.
Howard Johnson Resort, Sanya, China
Shubba Chacko, Bangalore, India
Trivandrum, India airport
Approaching from the air Trivandrum, India airport
| September 21, 2010 Hi Stephen and Jose, Thanks for writing. I don't know how to explain this to you, but I am taking a break from my activism to take up a paid job. I would be happy to help you out in the future as well, but I would request that you take my pictures and name off the net. I would like to remain in the background and do not wish further publicity for my queer activism. I know this may sound silly to you, but please do understand that I have personal reasons on this and I hope you take it off. Thanks and regards, Activist Friend in India |
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